‘A Christmas Story’ Cast in 2023: Where They Are Now?

There are a number of iconic holiday movies that we relive each season, and there is no denying that A Christmas Story  — which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year —is undoubtedly one of the greatest. Partly based on Jean Shepherd’s semi-fictional anecdotes in his 1966 book In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, the film was released in 1983 and didn’t quite catch on with audiences right away. Over the years, the film’s popularity grew, and it is now widly considered to be a Christmas classic, alongside films like and Miracle on 34th Street.

A Christmas Story was directed by Bob Clark, from a screenplay he and Shepherd co-wrote with Leigh Brown. The film had a sequel in 2021, A Christmas Story 2, which starred Daniel Stern and Braeden Lemasters. There was also a stage production, A Christmas Story Live!, which aired on FOX in 2017. Finally, last year Max debuted a brand new sequel film, titled . The movie features much of the original cast and follows Ralph as a father and husband having to be the architect of his family’s Christmas in the early ’70s.

To this day, A Christmas Story continues to be a hit with families, and is famously shown on TBS or TNT for 24 hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For fans who are wondering where the cast members of the holiday classic are over three decades after the film first debuted, we did the research for you! Scroll down to see where Ralphie and the whole gang are now…

Ralphie

Played by: Peter Billingsley (above right)

The young star of A Christmas Story is all grown up now and making movies of his own. Billingsley briefly appeared in the modern holiday classic Elf, and also had small roles in the first Iron Man film, and Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston’s The Break-Up, both of which he also executive produced. He also hopped behind the camera as well, directing Vaughn in two films: the 2009 comedy, Couples Retreat, and 2016’s action thriller, Term Life. Currently, he is an executive producer on Netflix’s animated comedy F is for Family. 

Notably, adult Ralphie was voiced by Shepherd, a film and TV legend. Sadly, Shepherd passed away in 1999. Billingsley reprises his role in A Christmas Story Christmas.

Flick

Played by: Scott Schwartz (above left)

Scott Schwartz gave cinema one of the greatest scenes ever filmed, when his character Flick stuck out his tongue and got it stuck the frozen flagpole. The scene has since gone on to be recreated and parodied many times over. After A Christmas Story, Schwartz continued his acting career, and even appeared in some adult films in the ’90s. He is still pursuing his acting career — turning up in A Christmas Story Christmas — and also works in the trading card industry as well.

Randy

Played by: Ian Petrella

Ralphie’s little brother Randy was played by Ian Petrella, who gave fans some of the most classic A Christmas Story lines, like, “I can’t put my arms down!” and “Daddy’s gonna kill Ralphie!” These days, Petrella is in Los Angeles, California, where he “co-founded a production company creating web content and producing various animated shorts,” according to his IMDB bio. Petrella returned last year to play a grown-up Randy in A Christmas Story Christmas.

Schwartz

Played by: R.D. Robb (above center)

Ralphie’s other best friend in the film was the smart-mouthed instigator Schwartz, as played by R.D. Robb. In later years, Robb appeared in films like Matilda and The Brady Bunch Movie, and also had a cameo in 2017 episode of The Goldbergs. More recently, Robb has been working behind the scenes, executive producing a number of film and TV projects, and he too appears in A Christmas Story Christmas.

Scut Farkus

Played by: Zack Ward

The bully of A Christmas Story, Scut Farkus, was played by newcomer Zack Ward. After a long reign of terror, Farkus eventually finds himself being served a cold plate of karma in the from of Ralphie’s tiny, merciless fists. After the film, Ward went to enjoy a lengthy acting career, appearing in films such as Almost Famous, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, and Transformers, as well as TV shows like Titus and American Horror Story: Cult. He is also the CEO of Global Sports Financial Exchange, Inc. 

(Spoiler Alert!) Ward came back to play Scut in A Christmas Story Christmas. PopCulture.com had a chance to chat with him about the project, as well as how the original movie impacted his life. Check out our interview with Ward by clicking here.

Miss Shields

Played by: Tedde Moore

Ralphie’s school teacher was played by actress Tedde Moore, and to this day it is her most recognizable role. She has continued to enjoy a wealthy acting career, with her most recent roles coming in 2017 with High-Rise Rescue and Magical Christmas Ornaments.

Mrs. Parker

Played by: Melinda Dillon

Before starring as Ralphie and Randy’s long-suffering mother in A Christmas Story, Melinda Dillon was a Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated actress who appeared in films such as Bound for Glory and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Dillon continued to act for many years afterward, turning up in movies like Harry and the Hendersons and Magnolia. She stepped away from acting more than 10 years ago, with her final film credit being the 2007 Adam Sandler/Don Cheadle drama, Reign Over Me. Sadly, Dillon passed away in January 2023, at the age of 83.

Mr. Parker (The Old Man)

Played by: Darren McGavin (above center)

Ralphie’s surly Old Man was played by legendary actor Darren McGavin, who had previously starred in films such as Hot Lead and Cold Feet and The Great Sioux Massacre. He would later go on to play the dad in another classic comedy film, Billy Madison, with Adam Sandler starring as his son. Sadly, McGavin passed away in 2006.